Archbishop Desmond Tutu said:

“India is a great democratically-governed nation with the capacity to play a strong moral role in the world. We have certainly been encouraged by our conversations with leaders in Delhi and Patna who recognise the importance of ending child marriage and emancipating girls and women.

“We believe this country will be even greater if all politicians, community leaders, business and religious leaders – most of them males – enable girls and women to play a full part in all aspects of life and decision-making. This is not an issue unique to India; the country with the highest rate of child marriage for girls is Niger in Africa – but what we see everywhere is that those countries that promote gender equality, do better.“

Mary Robinson said:

“We were particularly impressed by a group of girls and boys we met in Bihar, one of the country’s poorest, but fastest-growing states. These teenagers are very smart and they desperately want to be part of their state and their country’s incredible progress, but they know that getting married very young will hold them back.

“They are working hard to enlist the support of adults to help them to complete their education and marry later. We get the sense that things are changing, momentum is building, and we hope that progress can be made more quickly so that these wonderful young people can fulfil their dreams.”

Dr Gro Brundtland said:

“We were asked a tough question by the teenagers in Bihar. They asked us: ‘If adults know that child marriage is wrong, why do they allow it to happen?’ Children have every right to demand that their parents, teachers, political leaders abide by the laws that they have made and by the international agreements to which the Indian government is signatory.

“As a doctor, I want to emphasise the serious dangers associated with early pregnancy and childbirth. The health of the entire community – girls, women and children – will improve if girls are educated and women begin child-rearing when they are physically and psychologically ready for it.”

Ela Bhatt emphasised the links between the empowerment of girls and women, economic development, and peace:

“Peace, human rights and human development go hand in hand. I am encouraged by what we have heard from the grassroots to the highest levels of government in India, on the need to support the development of girls and women, and to tackle the practice of child marriage.

“If we can build communities where women and girls are empowered economically and can be leaders at all levels, then peace will follow. I strongly believe that peace is not a political issue, it’s a human one, and will only be achieved when everyone has the freedom to grow at their own pace and to fulfil their potential.”